“(Beason) feels better,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “Yeah, he feels better. He’s got a routine now, and they get a little bit more aggressive each day with it. So he’s optimistic, let’s put it that way.”

CB Chandler Fenner (hamstring) participated in individual drills.

RT Bobby Hart (knee) returned to practice.

Jon Beason out here now running short sprints, back pedaling with trainer after heavy work on field yesterday. Progress. #NYG#Giants

Q: What’s your plan for the fourth game coming up against the Patriots, for the starters at least?

A: Very little. And the rest of the guys will play.

Q: Is it very little, as in it doesn’t matter what they do? Or could it be extended?

A: It’s a pitch count.

Q: Are you more watching for the guys below the starting level, the backups, guys fighting for jobs?

A: I am very interested in that, how they handle that, the situation. Some of the roster spots are definitely—decisions have to be made. It’s spelled opportunity. When you get a chance to play like this—have a game in which you can amass 60 snaps or something along those lines, plus special teams, would be a good thing.

Q: With all the nagging little injuries, does that complicate some of these decisions for either today or after the last game?

A: Well, it certainly always does. There’s no question about that part of it. Because you end up after today with your 75, and yet you still have a bunch of guys who couldn’t play. So that’s really not the intent of it, but that’s the way it happens.

Q: Any more information on Victor Cruz?

A: No. Nope. He’s not going to play in the (New England) game.

Q: We saw Jon Beason out here doing some work, it looks like he’s made some progress.

A: He feels better. Yeah, he feels better. He’s got a routine now, and they get a little bit more aggressive each day with it. So he’s optimistic, let’s put it that way.

Q: Are you guys optimistic?

A: He’s optimistic. Whatever they tell me. I’m the eternal optimist.

Q: Where does the punting situation stand right now with Steve Weatherford?

A: Where does it? Well, there’s a game to go and it’s going to be a competitive thing. Not necessarily with the guys that are here. That goes for any position. Any position. People have to understand that. You’re not competing just against the guys here, you’re competing against the waiver wire.

Q: Well, what have you wanted to see out of Steve?

A: Well, you know what we’re always after is directional, hang time, distance, location, hang, and the opportunity to put us in the best position from a coverage standpoint. Basically for me, it’s always been put it outside the numbers.

Q: How do you think he’s done with that?

A: Well, he’s been off and on. He’s had some good ones and he’s had some that aren’t so good.

Q: You talked about wanting to see more consistency in your passing game and get a little more timing and rhythm. With the starters not playing much in the last preseason game, can that be developed in practice?

A: Oh yeah, it can. If guys practice, it can. We had a couple real nice indications of that here this afternoon.

Q: With so many negative appraisals of the Giants this preseason, particularly from the outside, do you have to make sure your players believe?

A: Well, you always have to do that. But I don’t know if they’re anything like me, but I don’t read any of that stuff.

Q: What have you seen from your defense that gives you optimism that that can be a good, solid unit?

A: Well, I think that you focus on different people, different people on different days have shown the ability to do certain things. What we’ve got to do is take what we have and match it up with what they can do well. And then situationally, be able to utilize them. So I’ve seen things along those lines that are things that are positive. But there’s no doubt, we’re going to have to prove it against the best competition in football. It’s all in front of us.

Q: Do you have to do that more than usual with this group? You talk about it in regard of being able to mix and match skill sets because you don’t have a guy like Jason Pierre-Paul around.

A: There’s different ways in which you try to accomplish that. But yeah, you are going to have to—you always do that anyways. You’re going to have 16 to 18 guys that are your defensive team and they cover all the situations for you.

Q: Has the team ever gotten to the point with JPP where they have examined his hand?

A: No.

Q: Can you talk a little bit about Odell Beckham and what he is in your offense and his strengths?

A: Well, he’s very important. It’s obvious, because of the big play possibility he brings any time he touches the ball. You’re going to have an awful lot of direction, in terms of the defense, what they are trying to do about defending. That’s going to give others a chance as well.

Q: I know you probably talked about this yesterday, but Stevie Brown, you know what he can do because he’s been here before. Do you expect him to play in this game?

A: Yes.

Q: What are you looking for from him?

A: I’m looking for him to play. I’d like to see the Stevie Brown we had the year he had, what, (eight) interceptions or whatever that was. That’s what I’d like to see and that’s what we’re trying to get a feel for—where he is with his game and just see him play. Just put him in that position and see what happens.

Q: With veterans like Stevie and Brandon Meriweather and Jeromy Miles here, do you feel any better about your safety situation maybe than you did earlier in camp?

A: Well, we’ll see depending on how we do this weekend. I feel better with (Landon) Collins getting some kind of routine going. He practiced, he played, and I feel good about that. And, to be honest with you, Cooper Taylor played well the other night. So I’m excited about seeing him this weekend, too. Some of these people that are starters are still going to play a little more. They’re going to play more. Some will continue to play in the game for X amount of plays, others will come out. That’s going to give us a chance to see a little bit what they can do.

Q: Given how little that the starters will be playing as a group together, is there anything they can do success-wise or opposite that will change your opinion going into the regular season?

A: Yeah, play well. Take it and score. Stop the other guy. Stop the run. Run the ball. I’ll get some opinions based on that stuff.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK
The following transcripts and video of player media Q&As are available at BigBlueInteractive.com and Giants.com:

AUGUST 12, 2015 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their tenth summer training camp practice on Wednesday outside of Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio in a joint practice session against the Bengals. The full training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

Cornerback Prince Amukamara (groin) made the trip to Cincinnati but has not practiced. Wide receiver Rueben Randle (knee tendinitis) did not practice.

“I’m fine,” Randle said. “It was just the change of surface from our grass field to their grass field, it was kind of bothering me a little bit. It’s nothing serious. I expect to play on Friday…I know how to handle it and prepare myself.”

Unlike on Tuesday, wide receiver Victor Cruz (recovering from knee surgery) participated in team drills, including against the Bengals. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has been dealing with a slight groin issue, but has not missed practice.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Today’s practice was in “uppers” (shoulder pads and shorts). Some snippets from various media sources:

The first-team offensive line remained Ereck Flowers at left tackle, Justin Pugh at left guard, Weston Richburg at center, John Jerry at right guard, and Marshall Newhouse at right tackle.

Working at nickel corner were Bennett Jackson, Trumaine McBride, and Josh Gordy.

The first-team safeties remained Landon Collins and Jeromy Miles; the second-team safeties were Cooper Taylor and Mykkele Thompson. Thompson also saw some first-team reps.

The first-team cornerbacks were Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Jayron Hosley.

Linebacker Mark Herzlich disrupted a screen pass by the Bengals, allowing defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis to finish off the play.

Linebacker Tony Johnson made a number of physical hits.

Wide receiver Geremy Davis caught a deep ball from quarterback Eli Manning for a touchdown. Davis was targeted quite a bit and had another good practice.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham scored on a reverse in team drills. He also scored twice in the red zone catching the football.

Wide receiver Victor Cruz participated in team drills against the Bengals. He didn’t see a lot of action but he moved well.

Left guard Justin Pugh and center Weston Richburg stood out in some drills.

Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap gave right tackle Marshall Newhouse some problems.

Defensive end Jordan Stanton got a sack.

Safety Mykkele Thompson looked to be out of position on a play where running back Rex Burkhead was left wide open on a pass play.

Defensive end Kerry Wynn had some problems with Bengals right tackle Matthew O’Donnell.

Wide receiver Julian Talley continued to catch everything thrown in his direction.

Safety Landon Collins was beat deep by Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah on a corner route.

Bengals wide receiver Mohamed Sanu leaped over cornerback Jayron Hosley in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.

Tight end Adrien Robinson made a very difficult catch, surrounded by three Bengals defenders, for a touchdown on a pass from quarterback Ryan Nassib. Robinson later caught another deep pass from Nassib in the two-minute drill. Robinson also caught another pass for a touchdown. (Video)

The Giants first-team offensive line had issues with pass protection in the two-minute drill.

Linebacker Unai Unga broke up a pass intended for tight end Tyler Eifert.

Q: Your thoughts on Day 2? You said you wanted to look at the film from last night..

A: Yeah. We did some good things and didn’t do some other things very well. It’s lots of people, lots of work, lots of situations to be in. It’s been two good days and it gives us a lot of speed work in addition to the first preseason game, so that’s a good thing.

Q: Did Victor Cruz wear you down wanting to get in there?

A: No. No, that was the decision that we made, or I made, coming out here that we would go ahead and look at practice the first day and decide how much. So we got him in there a couple snaps each segment with the exception at the end there. It’s good for him to come out here and get on the field against somebody else.

Q: Your situation at safety, it’s kind of in flux. Where do you see it right now?

A: Well we’re hoping it’s going to be as competitive as it can. We got a young guy that’s playing in there a lot and he went out for a while today and then back in. It’s something that we hope is going to solve itself right here, right in practice before regular season.

Q: Would that be Bennett Jackson you mean? The young guy you said went out.

A: No, Collins was out for a little bit too.

Q: What’s the thing behind having Bennett do a lot of slot stuff? It seemed like he did that a lot today.

A: The thinking behind it is we are looking for someone to be the nickel and we are trying a number of people in there and he got his shot.

Q: With an inexperienced group back there, Jeromy Miles is one who has been around for a while. What does he bring?

A: That’s why he’s here. The veteran experience, he’s been involved more, he knows the defense pretty much. So that we felt would add to (have) a player back there that knew it and understood it and played it would help some of these young guys.

Q: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has been out there, he says he’s battling some things. Do you see that?

A: Well, today he was. He had a little bit of a groin (injury). Played his way through that. Hopefully that’s all it is, some short-term deal.

Q: Because you saw it last year?

A: Yeah. Oh yeah. We’ve seen a lot of that.

Q: Do you think Rueben will play Friday?

A: I don’t know. I haven’t any idea. I’m surprised he wasn’t able to work here yesterday.

Q: So there’s nothing at this point that will prevent Odell from being out there?

A: No. Not at this point.

Q: How has Unga looked?

A: He made a nice play today. I saw a couple plays he made today, which was good. He’s a guy that can contribute on special teams, he can run, he’s a big guy, he’s physical. Hopefully he’ll grow into that type of role.

Q: How’s he doing right now with controlling, making the pause?

A: I think that’s an experience he’s got to get better at.

Q: The usual routine? One or two series for the starters?

A: Yeah, that’s usually what it is.

Q: What are you expecting from the rookies in the preseason?

A: Play hard. Play hard. Give great effort, let’s see what you’ve got. Plenty of spots out there to be (taken). You’ve seen the guys that are competing for starting jobs. Hopefully all that is going to do is get better.

Q: Ereck Flowers came out well yesterday afterwards..

A: Seems to be okay today, too. Although that—there was a comeuppance here with that last two-minute drill where nobody is playing run at all and they just turned the front loose. So he saw all kinds of games. They’ve got a good front. Hopefully he’ll learn a lot from that.

Q: Looked like Pugh and Richburg really did well against (Geno) Atkins too today?

A: He’s a good player now. He’s a good player. I know he made one real good play out here in this two-minute.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video clips of player media Q&As are available at BigBlueInteractive.com and Giants.com:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There will be a jog-thru practice on Thursday in advance of Friday’s Giants-Bengals preseason game.

The next training camp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center will be held on Sunday, August 16th from 5:50-7:50PM. For a complete listing of training camp practices as well as a handy fan Q&A about training camp, see our Training Camp section of the website. Only four remaining training camp practices at Quest Diagnostics Training Center will be open to the public this year:

AUGUST 5, 2015 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their fifth summer training camp practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The full training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

“Richburg has a little tendinitis and they decided to hold him out today,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin.

“We’re just going day-by-day. It’s getting better,” said Flowers. “When it first happened, I wasn’t able to lift it, but now I can lift it up. So, it’s getting better, I should be practicing soon…I usually heal pretty fast and do pretty well, so I’ll definitely be out there really soon.”

“Day to day (with Flowers),” said Coughlin. “He’s much improved. Whether they let him go tomorrow or not, I don’t know. But he was much improved.”

Linebacker Jameel McClain (stinger) and cornerback Prince Amukamara (groin) left practice early with injuries. McClain suffered a serious neck injury while with the Ravens so the injury could potentially be more serious than an average stinger.

“(McClain) got a little stinger,” said Coughlin. “So he’s got to run through all the tests.”

“Prince [Amukamara] had a little strain in the groin area during one-on-one,” said Coughlin.

PRACTICE NOTES…
For the first time this year, the Giants practiced in full pads. “It was kind of sluggish, to be honest with you,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “As it usually is the first time in full pads. Their legs are covered etc. etc. But they have to learn how to handle that, and they will.”

Some snippets from various media sources:

With left tackle Ereck Flowers (hip flexor) and center Weston Richburg (knee tendinitis) out, the starting offensive line was left tackle Justin Pugh, left guard Adam Gettis, center Dallas Reynolds, right guard Geoff Schwartz, and right tackle Marshall Newhouse. The Giants also worked in John Jerry at right guard and Geoff Schwartz at right tackle. The line struggled to keep a clean pocket for the quarterbacks.

Cullen Jenkins got some work at defensive end with the first-team along with Robert Ayers. Johnathan Hankins and Markus Kuhn were the tackles when Jenkins was at end. Damontre Moore and Owamagbe Odighizuwa also played end with the first-team.

Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins nailed running back Orleans Darkwa in the backfield on one play.

Landon Collins and Bennett Jackson were the first-team safeties. Jeromy Miles played with the second-team and made a couple of nice plays against the run.

Wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris returned a punt for a touchdown after bobbling it.

Wide receiver Julian Talley had a good practice, even beating cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on an in-cut.

Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record said his three stars of practice were safety Landon Collins, defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, and safety Jeromy Miles.

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
Tom Coughlin addressed the media after the afternoon practice:

Q: What happened to Jameel McClain out there?

A: He got a little stinger. So he’s got to run through all the tests.

Q: What about Weston Richburg?

A: [Weston] Richburg has a little tendinitis and they decided to hold him out today.

Q: Tendinitis in what?

A: Knee.

Q: How about Prince?

A: Prince [Amukamara] had a little strain in the groin area during one-on-one. So, naturally, he was out.

Q: Are you expecting Ereck Flowers back pretty soon?

A: Day to day. He’s much improved. Whether they let him go tomorrow or not, I don’t know. But he was much improved.

Q: What did you think of the padded practice, seemed like there was a lot of balls that hit the ground today, maybe today more than usual?

A: Balls hit the ground? Not necessarily, no. It was kind of sluggish, to be honest with you—as it usually is the first time in full pads. Their legs are covered etc. etc. But they have to learn how to handle that, and they will.

Q: Without the benefit of seeing the film, how do you think your offensive line held up?

A: I’m sure there was some good and some bad. To be honest with you, there were better runs than there were anything else. I thought that was something, if you want to build on, that was pretty good.

Q: While you were fully padded, did you want to do some more runs?

A: Well, we had an inside run drill, which we usually do fully padded. But otherwise it was blitz pickup and everything else. Nothing in particular to make it a run practice, if that’s what you’re asking.

Q: Do you feel like Jon Beason is under any restrictions?

A: Beason? Well, we’re very aware and his snaps are controlled, and basically they’re controlled by the number of people at the position. Obviously, if [Jameel] McClain is held out for any length of time, then that would affect the rotation.

Q: But you don’t want to overwork him obviously.

A: Well, everybody has got to get ready to play, though. We keep talking about that, and you know what, we’re taking every precaution—scientific precaution. Anything that has been discovered in our game by virtue of all the things we’ve looked at, we’re doing it. So now we’ve got to go out on the field. When we’re on the field, unfortunately, some things happen. I don’t have any other explanation for you.

Q: We got screened at the end of practice, what was the game today? It looked like both teams lost because they all had to do pushups.

A: We took some receivers and DBs and challenged them to throw the football and hit the crossbar. It wasn’t pretty. They all tried to kick field goals with the ball, and throw the ball up in the air. Take the ball and zing it. It was an eye-opener, let’s put it that way. Not anywhere as competitive as the last thing we did.

Q: This seems to be an emphasis for you guys, though.

A: Compete. Find stuff to make them compete. Just compete. Just always something, in addition to the field, obviously.

Q: Your defensive tackles looked like they had a solid day. Do you think they had a good showing today?

A: I know they’re working hard and they’ve improved their technique. Our footwork seems to be better. I think both the ends and the tackles rushed the passer pretty well today. Like I said, some runs squirted through, but they certainly did okay.

Q: How much negotiating goes on between you and Marvin Lewis as you get closer to these practices with the Bengals?

A: We set this up in the spring. It’s been set. Practice schedule is set, everything is set. I’m sure there will be maybe one more phone call, but most of it has all been done.

Q: How limited or how much contact are those practices going to have?

A: Just practice.

Q: Pads?

A: Pads.

Q: Uppers?

A: Pads one day, uppers the next—yeah.

Q: With the game officials here, did they tell you there’s going to be any extra emphasis on any part of the rules this year?

A: Well, they always stress whatever the new rules are and whatever the points of emphasis are. So, John (Parry) is prepared to speak about that as we’ve heard in the spring when the officiating crew is by. I’m sure we’ll continue to hear.

Q: Mike Sullivan thinks that Eli’s arm has looked as live as it has at any point that he’s seen. Would you agree with that assessment?

A: Yeah, it was that way in the spring, too. I think there was a lot of grinding on the part of the receivers today. Then, perhaps, the idea that in some occasions they weren’t where they were supposed to be kind of nullified some of the balls going downfield today. But, no question about his arm.

Q: With the more direct approach instead of the lob approach, could you have hit the crossbar?

A: I may have wanted to move it up.

Q: It was the crossbar not the upright?

A: It started out being the crossbar. The upright? Are you kidding? If we put a limit on it, we’d be out here all night.

Q: It looked like they were going for the upright.

A: It’s the way they were throwing the ball. I thought it was a rainbow.

Q: Cruz said last week about getting the pads on, it was going to be another step. Was this another rung in the ladder for him?

A: Yeah, I think he really got acclimated probably further than he expected, just in uppers. He went down a couple times with piles and that kind of thing. But I’m sure just handling the pads today.

Q: Last summer with Eli there was an emphasis on footwork. Is there something this year that there is an emphasis on mechanically or is it still the footwork?

A: It always starts with the footwork but I think it is just really having the reads, having the concepts become second nature and having that level of comfort and confidence that the player is going to be where we want them to be. That he is going to trust his feet, as we like to say, in terms of the timing of the system and nothing beats experience. There are no shortcuts, there is no way to kind of go around that and you’ve got a true professional like Eli who really buys into doing all the little things that really makes it easier to improve.

Q: What else can be done besides reps to get that done and to get that familiarity?

A: Certainty the reps out on the field and then the things that we can teach in the classroom. There is great dialogue that we have in our meeting room and certainly a guy with his experience and his background…and there is a couple of them in terms of being able to say anything [and] ask anything. Those quarterback meetings…Ben (McAdoo) is certainly heavily involved in those meetings and it’s like another coaching meeting, so it is a lot of fun. Between the execution on the practice field, that preparation, what we do in the meeting room and then him taking care of his body, which he has done a tremendous job, of I think that we will be ready to go.

Q: How is your comfort level with the offense and is it odd that the guy you are trying to help and teach knows more of it than you do?

A: It has been exhilarating. I just can’t say enough about working with Ben McAdoo, what a detail-oriented, great teacher, very comfortable relationship and it is exciting. There [are] so many concepts about this scheme and I think Eli has really bought in and it has been a lot of fun to work with him. We didn’t really have to break through any of those barriers as far as establishing who we are and what we are about. We have a little history together so that has made it a lot easier so it has been a lot of fun.

Q: Does he have more options now? You look around at the talent level. Are his choices greater?

A: I think there [are] a lot of players that we are counting on. You look at certainly the receivers; Victor Cruz who is coming back and looking strong, Odell Beckham and Larry Donnell and so many of the players and younger guys, the addition of Shane Vereen out of the backfield. [It is] definitely nice to have those so he has been trying to spread the ball around and work on different reads, if you will, and that is certainly [a good thing].

Q: What have you seen from Ryan Nassib so far?

A: I think Ryan is a very, very hard worker [and] very competitive. I mean he is a gym rat, excellent…you talk about knowledge of the system, that guy, he is as sharp as a tack. He is someone from a mobility standpoint, the ability to extend plays and if he has to scramble, he has that as an asset and he is getting better [with] some of the things with his release and vantage point and tightening that up and getting the ball out of his hands faster. He has been doing that, so we have been very pleased working with him and I am excited to see what he does here in the preseason.

Q: Is that the emphasis with him? Getting the ball out faster?

A: I think there is a ton of areas of emphasis and he still has to get the, “Be ready to go at a moments notice.” That is the mindset and that is the way he prepares, which is great. He is not in the mode of, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m in grad school.’ He prepares as though he is going to be called upon and takes it up [notch] in that regard. I think that whether it is footwork or tightening up his release or any little, tiny thing, he is looking to improve everything, so I wouldn’t just limit it to that one area. He is looking to get better in all areas.

Q: You guys always had a veteran behind Eli during your first time here. I know this is a new look at Ryan but do you have any sense of whether if anything happened to Eli he could step in and get the job done for a little while?

A: Yeah, you know you are always hoping that your backup quarterback, if called upon, is ready to win, is ready to go ahead and do the things that are going to help you be successful, and certainly he is the backup quarterback for a reason because there are certain things he might not be able to do. [However], certainly from the standpoint of a person who would be competitive, who would be prepared, would work very hard and give everything he has, we have great confidence that he will continue to develop and be ready to go if he is called upon?

Q: How has being an offensive coordinator made you a better coach?

A: You know, it is interesting to see when you have the perspective of the entire operation: the run game, the pass game, the protections. I certainly can appreciate the responsibility and the pressure that Ben is under and having gone through that, I kind of try and find different areas and ways to make his job easier, to try to have a perspective of some of the bigger picture things, of lessons I learned and mistakes that I made, things that worked well and just to focus on what can I do, especially from the quarterback’s standpoint, to help him to be at his best so it helps the rest of the offense flow smoothly.

Q: With Tom Coughin, it always comes up every year whether the game has passed him by or if he is up with the latest things. How have you seen him evolve as a coach and keep up with the times and what is your opinion about that?

A: I think Coach Coughlin certainly has core values, he is a man of great integrity and honor and the way his style of football…the discipline, the belief in team above self that has not changed. He has in a lot of ways tried to do various thing to…whether it is the music we’ve got at stretch or just some of the various things behind the scenes that I don’t necessarily want to get into, but he has definitely been on the cutting edge and you look at just the openness of having the veteran quarterback and now with the new system and all that is going on there, I think he is always looking to evolve and grow. It stresses to us as coaches that the day you stop learning, the day you are so set in your ways, is the day that it is time to move on, so he has been very energized and it has just been a thrill for me to be back.

Q: Did you ever you think six or eight years ago that you would see a Giants practice with Tom Coughlin with music on the field and big guys catching punts?

A: It has been great and there is more to come. We have a few more things in store, so it should be a lot of fun.

Q: What about your year as a consultant. Was that sort of a year off?

A: It was an opportunity, first and foremost, to reconnect with my family and spend more time with my daughters, and I spent the time to work with Derek Carr to help get him ready for the draft, which was a lot of fun. Of course, David’s younger brother, went out to California and helped train him and work out with him and I was pleased with the progress he has made and wish him well as long as we don’t play him. I did some online work and that just gave me a chance really to take a step back and without all the pressure, to see the games it is just amazing. There is so many…when you take that vantage point, you can see some of the mistakes that are made and of course you fill the spiral notebook with ideas and it is not necessarily X’s and O’s as much as just ideas and thoughts of how you can be better prepared should you get another opportunity. I feel very fortunate to have a chance to be back and not just back but to come back home with big blue.

Q: Do you still have that book?

A: Oh, yes. My manifesto, my lessons learned and that type of thing.

Q: The goal for Eli last year was 70% completion rate, which he hasn’t really backed off when you ask him about it. Is that just something that is put out there as something to shoot for or is that an attainable goal?

A: Eli has always been very goal oriented. He has always been someone that has had high expectations for himself and I would say this, he is certainly going to do everything and has been and will continue to do everything possible to achieve those goals that are going to help us win. I think that it comes down to however many passes we need to win, that is what we are going to want to complete. However many big plays or touchdowns or adjustments in the run game or protections or whatever needs to be done, he is going to do. I don’t know if there is any set number or those certain indicators that help you win. We all know that if you protect the football, if you are able to have a certain amount of yards you are able to rush for or efficiency on third down or red zone or QB rating, those are all objectives but ultimately it just comes down to winning and I think that is all that really Eli cares about. In fact, I know that is all he cares about.

Q: How much does this offense make it reasonable to think that number can be realistically attainable?

A: I think there are components of the offense where we are looking for completions and trying to get the ball out of his hands and if there is a completion there, we are going to take it. Heck, when you’ve got a guy like Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz, Shane Vereen and some of these guys that can do a lot of damage…a 70-yard gain is a 70-yard gain whether the ball is in the air for 50 or one yard and we had a great run, so whatever it takes.

Q: What have you seen in Larry Donnell this year as opposed to last year?

A: He’s coming along, as far as just getting healthy again. As far as football is concerned, it’s his commitment to focusing on the techniques in blocking—that’s really improved. What we need to get him to do is really get back to where he was running routes. He’s not quite there yet, but he’s working towards it and he’s done a nice job with the workload we’ve given him.

Q: Because of the Achilles?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you have a handle on what he is and what he can be?

A: I think he can be a pretty special player, but there’s a lot of improving that is going to have to take place in order for him to be that special player. The good thing is, he’s working towards it, and he’s starting to understand that he could be a pretty special guy as well.

Q: When you say special, in what way? A big time pass catcher or an overall player?

A: A big-time pass catcher, number one. I think we all saw the ability there last year. But also, not only be serviceable in the run game, but could be a very good run blocker in what we’re asking him to do.

Q: After the Washington game did his injury slow him down?

A: I think so. I think the wear and tear of the full season—it’s the first time he’s ever had to go through something like that. Even in college, he was a quarterback to start off and then became a tight end. College seasons are much shorter than the professional NFL year, so through the course of the year and the wear and tear, and the banging day in, day out that he took, did slow him down through the course of the season.

Q: What has Jerome Cunningham shown you?

A: He shows that he can be an explosive pass catcher and route running receiver from the tight end position. What’s been not necessarily surprising, but exciting, is watching him run block and watch how intense he is about it, and how he likes to finish blocks and move defenders off the ball.

Q: Larry had some great highlights but also some lowlights—dropping the ball, losing it. Is controlling his body an issue?

A: I think that’s a big, big part of it. I always reference back to the fact that he hadn’t played much football, and hadn’t played the position very long. So the more he does it, the better he’s going to be. It’s been a huge emphasis on our part—having him carry the football the proper way. Knowing how to protect himself when he has the football in his hands and he’s carrying it and running with it. There’s little things like every time he was on the sideline or came out of practice—he’s having a ball tossed to him and he’s holding it with the tip high every now and then as I’m telling the rest of the guys the plays, I’m trying to knock it out. Just little things to have him remember that it is the most important thing—to hold it properly. That’s the way you protect it the best, by focusing on it and focusing on doing it right.

Q: He got knocked head over heels a lot?

A: Often, when he would almost straighten his legs and at the waist. That’s something that also we’ve talked about. He’s got two options: he can lower his shoulder and run over the man—and that means you’re bending your legs, bending your knees or you can jump over him. It’s one of the two. No matter what you do, you have to protect the football. The tip of the football can never be here [down]—it’s not protected, it’s not secure, it’s not strong. It has to be high.

Q: How big of a surprise was Daniel Fells last year? He seemed to be an extra guy but he made a lot of big receptions.

A: He did, he made a lot of good plays. Again, I wouldn’t say it was a surprise because you know what you’re getting with Daniel. You know he’s going to be a consistent player, a consistent person, and a great leader in that room—being a veteran and having those guys to help them come along. Daniel makes the plays that are there to be made and then he impressed you every now and then by making one that you don’t necessarily think he can make.

Q: Do you expect to have good matchups with your tight ends because of all the weapons you have in the receiving corps and running backs? Do you expect Donnell to have more favorable matchups?

A: Rather than have like a dime playing him, they have to worry about Shane [Vereen]. We’ll see how it plays out, you never really know how you’re going to get attacked by the defense. You prepare for all the different scenarios and you prepare based on what you see on film from the defense. That certainly could a scenario where because of all the weapons on the outside with Shane Vereen out of the backfield, with Rashad Jennings, that potentially you could get a good matchup at the tight end position. That’s something that as coaches we study very, very hard to prepare for, but then through the course of the game, they can always switch up the matchups based on who they’re being hurt by.

Q: It seems like this time last year Larry moved up out of the pack because of the work he had done in the offseason, is that fair?

A: Not necessarily, no. Last training camp we were working hard to figure out who was going to be the best player and what they can do. We’ve talked about that with you and I and this group. Each guy has a certain skillset, and we’re going to try and find the things that they can do and put them in the football game to execute those things. If you can do something that’s going to bring in value to our team, you’re going to get in the game to do it.

Q: In terms of him specifically, he seemed like a good offseason guy for you. A guy who took coaching well and advanced quickly as a result of that. So he misses May and June, what does that do for his development?

A: Well, where it hurt his development was physically, not mentally. He did a great job of being very locked in, in the meetings and on the practice field when he was with us and wasn’t rehabbing. He did a tremendous job of making sure he was locked into the play and getting mental reps.

Q: If he gets back to where he was, is he going to be the guy who takes the majority of the snaps like last year?

A: You would love to have even more guys. The more guys, the better, because the wear and the tear through the course of the season isn’t as heavy—it’s not as heavy of a workload for each guy. The more you can have, the better off you’re going to be.

Q: Has Jerome done enough to play himself into a role yet?

A: Right now the evaluation process is going on with everybody. I think he’s done some very good things, and he’s done some things where he can improve. He certainly warrants a shot, as far as getting playing time in the preseason and then you see where it goes from there.

Q: You mentioned the advancements Larry is making as a blocker, what specifically do you see in what he’s doing now better?

A: As far as the technique is concerned? Not dropping his inside knee when he’s working with the offensive tackle. Trying to keep his elbows tight. Those are all very important things and really it comes from having confidence. When your hands go outside, it’s because you think the guy is going to go around you. When you trust yourself to get your elbow tight and punch your hands inside, that means you’re trusting what you see and that’s a very important thing. It’s an area he still needs to improve on, but he’s getting there. He’s getting there and he’s working with it. He’s making mistakes and learning from them rather than just reverting back to what he was doing before.

Q: There was a play when he was split outside on a run play, in terms of downfield blocking in the run game, is that something he’s still working on?

A: It’s something that we’ll ask him to do certainly. It’ll be a part of our package. That’s one thing that you always work on, but that’s not the major focus. The major focus is the in-line blocking that we need him to improve on. And he is, he’s getting there, he’s just not there yet.

Q: To have Mike Sullivan back, how excited is he and how excited are you to have him back?

A: I think he’s very excited to be back. You’d have to ask him as far as any specifics. But I can comment on what itit is to have him back. I think the comradery and the synergy that you have as an offensive staff is incredibly important. Having him back is a big part of that. Getting him back in the fold and he really got back in the fold pretty quickly and got to know the guys that he hadn’t known before. Re-established relationships and working relationships with guys he had before, so it’s been a nice addition.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video clips of player media Q&As are available at BigBlueInteractive.com and Giants.com:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The sixth training camp practice will be held on Thursday from 2:30-4:30PM. For a complete listing of training camp practices as well as a handy fan Q&A about training camp, see our Training Camp section of the website. Only five remaining training camp practices at Quest Diagnostics Training Center will be open to the public this year:

2014 YEAR IN REVIEW:Ever since the New York Giants transitioned to the 4-3 defense from the 3-4 in 1994, the defensive line has been the heart of a New York Giants defense. But for the third time in the last four seasons, the defense gave up over 6,000 yards (the only times in franchise history the defense has done so). Everyone is to blame, including the defensive ends.

The headliner up front, Jason Pierre-Paul (JPP) started the season off slowly and didn’t really impact games the way he should until the Giants were already out of playoff contention. Mathias Kiwanuka started 11 games at left defensive end, but did not play well and finished the season on Injured Reserve. Free agent acquisition Robert Ayers flashed as a pass rusher at both defensive tackle and end, but was inconsistent against the run and also finished the season on IR. The coaching staff did not appear to trust Damontre Moore, who did not start a game. By year’s end, he was surprisingly passed on the depth chart by undrafted rookie Kerry Wynn. Jordan Stanton was a rookie free agent who spent a couple of stints on the Practice Squad.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants waived Mathias Kiwanuka in February. The team signed George Selvie (1-year, $1.2 million) in free agency. The Giants drafted Owamagbe Odighizuwa in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft and signed Brad Harrah as a rookie free agent after the draft.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: Even before the July 4th fireworks accident that caused severe burns to one of his hands, Pierre-Paul was going to be the main focus given that it was likely (now certain) that he was going to play out the season on his $14.813 million Franchise tender. JPP had a bounce-back year in 2014 but everyone is still looking for the 2011 version of the player who dominated. The Giants are most likely concerned about his inconsistency, previous back injury issues, dedication and focus, and now judgement if he signs a huge, multi-year contract. At this time, it is unknown how Pierre-Paul’s hand injuries will impact his availability and performance in training camp, the preseason, and the regular season. ESPN is reporting that JPP may not return to the line-up until after the beginning of the regular season.

That all said, Pierre-Paul is still one of the very best defensive ends in the NFL, the best player on the Giants defense, and one of the few impact players on the team. How well he plays in 2015 will most likely determine if he remains a New York Giant after the season.

“If you just watch tape with JPP out there, it is evident to me that he is an elite defensive end and fits a 4-3 system, which is exciting,” said Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo in June.

The other big issue is who starts at left defensive end opposite of Pierre-Paul? Mathias Kiwanuka is no longer in the picture. Though he has bulked up to about 255 pounds, Damontre Moore appears to lack the size and strength to anchor the strongside. So unless Steve Spagnuolo moves JPP to left end, Moore will probably be relegated to a situational pass rusher when JPP returns to the starting lineup. Moore does believe his pass rushing skill set is better suited to Spagnuolo’s system.

Robert Ayers was arguably the team’s best pass rusher until he got hurt and JPP improved down the stretch, but he was up and down in run defense in 2014.

George Selvie was a solid strongside run defender in Dallas who occasionally flashed on the pass rush. “George is going to fill in that gap that we have on that other side,” said Pierre-Paul, who played with Selvie in college. “He is going to fight for that starting spot. That’s a good thing. That will make everybody work harder.”

The dark horse could be Kerry Wynn, the 2014 rookie free agent with a nice combination of size, strength, and athletic ability. He received significant playing time in the final month of the 2014 season. The initial impression of his overall game is that he is a better run defender than pass rusher.

Physically-speaking, Owa Odighizuwa may be the most talented of the group. It would be difficult for a rookie to win the starting job, but Odighizuwa has the tools to become a very good two-way defensive end. He could surprise early.

ON THE BUBBLE:There will be some extremely tough decisions at defensive end. Normally the Giants would only carry four or five defensive ends. Barring injury, the only sure bets to make the roster are Pierre-Paul and Odighizuwa. Complicating matters is that JPP may not be on the active roster early in the season. It would be difficult to see the Giants giving up on Moore and Wynn just yet. Ayers is on the bubble, but he is a very good situational pass rusher. If Selvie plays in camp like he did with Dallas in 2013, he will be difficult to cut. Jordan Stanton has talent, but he and Harrah are extreme long shots.

FROM THE POSITIONAL COACH: Robert Nunn on Jason Pierre-Paul: “You would hope (JPP starts 2015 like he finished 2014). His numbers increased there at the end. I thought he did some good things throughout but just didn’t have the numbers to show for it, and I have said that over and over, sacks are a little overrated, but his quarterback hits and his pressures, he was doing some good things. They were counting for him in a lot of different ways and he took advantage of some opportunities there at the end and got his numbers up. His tackles had to be up there in the top of the league. I don’t know where he was, but he had to be top two or three as far as the production and as far as in the run game and his pass production there at the end. I think it is just coming in healthy and in the right frame of mind and getting ready to start, he is going to be behind (due to missing the spring offseason work) but that is where we will start.”

Nunn on George Selvie: “Selvie is solid, he is a solid pro. He played well last year in Dallas and he has been steady.”

PREDICTIONS: With the signing of George Selvie, the drafting of Owa Odighizuwa, and the likelihood that Jason Pierre-Paul will miss training camp, I am guessing that Pierre-Paul will stay at right defensive end. Because of that, I have a hard time seeing Damontre Moore starting once Pierre-Paul returns to the starting line-up. Ultimately, Owa Odighizuwa will start at left defensive end, but I doubt it happens early in the 2015 season and may not happen until 2016. Unless Ayers dramatically improves his consistency against the run or Odighizuwa really surprises early, I think the starting left defensive end job will be between George Selvie and Kerry Wynn.

JPP was in great shape and looked primed for a big season before the July 4th accident. Now it remains to be seen how the hand injuries will impact his game. Even if he is ready physically for the season opener, the time he missed with the team in the spring and now potentially in the summer will set him back in the new defense. Another question is will the Giants get a solid consistent pass rush on first and second down from the player opposite Pierre-Paul? Selvie and Wynn have flashed in that area but their overall pass-rush ability remains a question mark. Situationally, Ayers proved to be a disruptive pass rusher particularly from the defensive tackle position and I think Spagnuolo will use Moore far better than Perry Fewell did.

If the Giants can get opposing teams into a lot of third-and-long situations, they will present problems with pass rushers like JPP, Moore, Ayers, and Odighizuwa, not to mention Devon Kennard and possibly Jay Bromley. But first and second down could be a problem. All three NFC East rivals like to run the football.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Even before Pierre-Paul’s accident, I was going to go out on a limb and say the Giants would keep six defensive ends: Pierre-Paul, Odighizuwa, Moore, Wynn, Ayers, and Selvie. Now I’m even more convinced. All six can have important roles on the team. Ayers is too good of an inside pass rusher to cut. The Giants were really high on Wynn when they signed him as a rookie last year and thus far he hasn’t disappointed. Selvie could be vulnerable if he does not flash in the preseason and Wynn does, but my guess is the coaches will be more comfortable with his veteran presence in the line-up on opening night. I’m really hoping things work out for Pierre-Paul and the Giants long term because replacing JPP in 2016 would be extremely difficult.

The New York Giants completed their sixth of ten Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Thursday. The Thursday session was not open to the media, but Giants.com did report some of the following tidbits:

Phase Three (Weeks 6-9) of the New York Giants voluntary nine-week offseason program started last week. During Phase Three of offseason programs, NFL teams may conduct a total of 10 days of OTAs. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.

The final four OTA practices will be held June 8-9 and June 11-12. The Giants will hold a mandatory, full-team mini-camp on June 16-18.

Team drills have begun. WR Rueben Randle shows his vertical and jumps to make a nice catch from QB Eli Manning. #NYG

Jerry Reese Says Giants Still Looking for Offensive Line Help: New York Giants General Manager Jerry Reese told NJ.com on Wednesday that the team is still looking for offensive line help in the wake of left tackle Will Beatty’s torn pectoral muscle injury. Beatty is expected to miss 5-6 months.

“We’ll continue to look around,” said Reese. “Obviously, everybody has around 90 men on their roster right now, so there’ll be some cuts; there will be some chances to add some offensive linemen.”

Unrestricted free agent OT Jake Long, who is coming off back-to-back ACL tears to his right knee and was released by the St. Louis Rams earlier this offseason, visited the Giants last week.

“He’s a veteran, he’s played a lot of football, and so we brought him in, gave him a physical to see where he was,” Reese said. “We’ll keep an eye on him.”

As discussed in our spotlight on defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis, the defensive line of the New York Giants has been in a state of decline. This has been most noticeable at defensive end where the Giants have seen the deterioration and departure of Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and Mathias Kiwanuka, not to mention the roller coaster productivity of Jason Pierre-Paul.

To help reinforce this unit, the Giants signed unrestricted free agent George Selvie from the Dallas Cowboys on March 20. The contract was reportedly a 1-year, $1.4 million deal that included a $200,000 signing bonus.

The 28-year old Selvie was a collegiate teammate of defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul at the University of South Florida. And it is Selvie, and not JPP, who holds school records for career sacks, sacks in a season, and tackles for a loss in a season. In 2007, Selvie was named “Big East Defensive Player of the Year” when he accrued 14.5 sacks. Indeed, at one time, Selvie was considered a better pro prospect than Pierre-Paul. But not by the Giants and the rest of the NFL.

After the Giants drafted Pierre-Paul in 2010, Giants Vice President of Player Evaluation was asked why the Giants like JPP better than Selvie. “(Pierre-Paul) is a great player,” replied Ross. “Selvie – not much. This kid helped Selvie… They are totally different players; totally different skill set; totally different athletic ability. The media was talking about Selvie – the guy had a tremendous sophomore year. He had 15 sacks or so. But his production has gone down and that is where you evaluate their skill set; their athletic ability; the height, weight, speed, the quickness, the strength, those things.”

While Pierre-Paul was drafted in the 1st round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Giants, Selvie fell to the 7th round where he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams. The head coach of the Rams at the time was Steve Spagnuolo. Selvie only lasted one season with the Rams. He played in all 16 games as a rookie and finished the year with 21 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Spagnulo waived Selvie in early September 2011 before the regular season started. Selvie was immediately claimed by the Carolina Panthers but then waived a month later after playing in four games as a backup. A month after that, in November, he was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he played in seven games as backup. In all, Selvie finished the 2011 season with only six tackles and half a sack.

Selvie missed the first five games of the 2012 season with a knee injury. When he returned, Selvie played in nine games as a reserve for the Jaguars, collecting 15 tackles and one sack.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Selvie as a free agent in April 2013 after the Jaguars decided not to tender him. However, Tampa Bay became the fourth NFL team to cut ties with Selvie when they released him a month later.

It was at this point in time where there would occur another connection between Selvie and the Giants. After being cut by Tampa Bay, Selvie was invited to try out at the Giants rookie mini-camp in May 2013. However, Selvie did not do enough to impress the team and he was not offered a contract.

At the time, that looked like the last hurrah for Selvie. But two months later, the Dallas Cowboys signed him after their training camp opened. Defensive end Anthony Spencer was having knee issues and defensive end Tyrone Crawford had just tore his Achilles. Although Selvie was not expected to make the team, the Cowboys were desperate for bodies. However, Selvie did more than that as he quickly earned first-team reps and was named the starter at left (strongside) defensive end in the preseason.

For the Cowboys in 2013, Selvie started all 16 regular-season games and finished the year with 45 tackles, seven sacks (second most on the team), 22 quarterback pressures, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Selvie’s first sack as a Cowboy was on Eli Manning in the opener. Defensive Line Coach Rod Marinellis affectionately nicknamed him the “Bricklayer.”

“It’s something coach Marinelli came up with,” said Selvie. “You know sometimes you got guys who will just keep going out there and work, just through time lay bricks, lay bricks one at a time to get better. That’s an analogy they try to use with me, so it just kept.”

Selvie’s productivity in Dallas declined in 2014. He played in all 16 regular-season games with 13 starts at left defensive end. He also started both playoff games for the Cowboys. Selvie finished the regular season with 30 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He added six post-season tackles, including five against Green Bay. Selvie was credited with 20 quarterback pressures in the regular season, down by just two from 2013. And he continued to cause problems for the Giants, sacking Eli again and being credited with eight tackles in two games against Big Blue in 2014.

When Dallas signed one of the better defensive ends in free agency in Greg Hardy in March 2015, Selvie became expendable. The Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – two teams that had already looked at him just two years earlier and had rejected him – were both interested once again. Selvie signed with the Giants, whose new defensive coordinator, Spagnulo, had also previously waived Selvie.

“I’m excited to be here,” Selvie said. “It’s a great opportunity for me. And I’m excited to be playing with JPP again, along with Spags. I’m excited for the opportunity to be here.

“There have been great defensive linemen that have played (with the Giants), and I want to be one of those. I felt like this was a great situation. With Jason being over there (at right defensive end), he gets a lot of attention. I hope I can get free with that. It’s a great opportunity and a great fit.”

Pierre-Paul also appears thrilled to be playing with his old collegiate teammate.

“I think that’s a great pickup,” Pierre-Paul said of the Giants signing Selvie. “He’s a good player. George can play the run and rush the passer. From the film I’ve watched, he’s gotten better as a player…He’s a dedicated worker, and I know he’s going to work to try to get better and better.”

So how does Selvie fit in with the Giants? At 6’4”, 270 pounds, the journeyman Selvie has demonstrated an ability to be a decent run defender at left end, where he has started 31 regular- and post-season NFL games since 2013. He also has 10 sacks and 42 quarterback pressures in the last two regular seasons. That alone gives him a decent shot a starting job at strongside end if the Giants choose to keep JPP at weakside end. Selvie will compete with Damontre Moore, Robert Ayers, and Kerry Wynn – along with any potential 2015 draft pick – for a starting job. No one yet has the inside track.

“George is going to fill in that gap that we have on that other side,” Pierre-Paul said. “He is going to fight for that starting spot. That’s a good thing. That will make everybody work harder.”

The big question is what is Selvie’s upside? Was 2013 his career year for a journeyman now with his sixth team? Is he the kind of guy you look to replace, or can become a valuable starter or reserve in New York? That remains to be seen. Like a bad penny, Selvie keeps turning up. Spagnulo, the Buccaneers, and Giants all wanted him back after cutting ties. At the very least, it will be interesting to see if Selvie’s presence on the team has an impact on JPP’s mental outlook and overall game.

Report – Giants Willing to Let Eli Manning Play Out Final Year of Contract: According to ESPN, the New York Giants “recently had another conversation” with representatives for quarterback Eli Manning about a contract extension. Manning is entering the final year of his current contract, with a cap hit of nearly $20 million. ESPN reports that two unidentified sources say the two sides are not close to a new deal, and that the Giants are willing to let Manning play out the final year of his contract. ESPN says that an extension this offseason “doesn’t seem likely unless there’s a major change in one side’s negotiation position.”

According to ESPN’s sources, the Giants are not willing to make a larger commitment to Manning than the 5-year, $99 million deal that Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger signed recently.

ESPN says the Giants still believe in Manning and “their primary goal is to keep him a Giant for the remainder of his career.” But ESPN claims that the team has no big incentive to complete a new deal in the near future as the Giants do not currently need the additional salary cap space that an extension would create.

ESPN speculates that if a new deal is not completed this year or before free agency next year, the Giants could place the franchise tag on Manning.

This past week, team President and CEO John Mara said that a contract extension for Manning is not currently in the works but “obviously something will be done at some point.”

Giants.com Q&A with DE George Selvie: The video of a Giants.com Q&A with DE George Selvie is available at Giants.com.

The New York Giants have officially signed unrestricted free agent defensive end George Selvie (Dallas Cowboys). The contract is said to be a 1-year, $1.4 million deal that includes a $200,000 signing bonus.

The 28-year old Selvie was a collegiate teammate of defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul at the University of South Florida. He was drafted in the 7th round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. Since that time, he has played with the Rams (2010), Carolina Panthers (2011), Jacksonville Jaguars (2011-12), and Cowboys (2013-14). Selvie also worked out for the Giants at a mini-camp in 2013 but was not signed and then signed with the Cowboys. He started 29 regular-season games for Dallas in the last two years, accruing 75 tackles and 10 sacks.

“I’m excited to be here,” Selvie said. “It’s a great opportunity for me. And I’m excited to be playing with JPP again, along with Spags (defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, his first NFL head coach). I’m excited for the opportunity to be here.

“Spags is a hell of a guy. He’s a fiery guy. He wants everything to be perfect. He likes to blitz and get after the quarterback. I know he loves his defensive linemen, so I’m excited to be here with him.

“I’ve been through it (changing teams) before, so it’s going to be pretty easy. Spags drafted me in St. Louis, so I’ve played in his defense before. It’s a 4-3 defense, and I’m excited about playing in it.

“There have been great defensive linemen that have played here, and I want to be one of those. I felt like this was a great situation. With Jason being over there, he gets a lot of attention. I hope I can get free with that. It’s a great opportunity and a great fit.”

“I think that’s a great pickup,” Pierre-Paul said. “He’s a good player. George can play the run and rush the passer. From the film I’ve watched, he’s gotten better as a player…He’s a dedicated worker, and I know he’s going to work to try to get better and better.”

Selvie has good size (6’4”, 270 pounds). He is a solid run defender who flashes at times in the pass rush, particularly in 2013 when he registered seven sacks.

Selvie will likely compete for the starting left defensive end position opposite Pierre-Paul. Others who factor in the competition include Robert Ayers, Kerry Wynn, and Damontre Moore. The Giants released Mathias Kiwanuka earlier in the offseason.

“George is going to fill in that gap that we have on that other side,” Pierre-Paul said. “He is going to fight for that starting spot. That’s a good thing. That will make everybody work harder.”

John Mara Talks About Giants Offseason: New York Giants President/CEO John Mara spoke to the press on Thursday at a ribbon cutting ceremony in Manhattan. Mara was mainly asked about the team’s free agent activity.

“There were obviously some star players out there but for the most part I thought it was a mediocre free-agent class and I think a lot of guys got paid more money than maybe they would have in other years because there was a lot of cap room out there,” said Mara. “I think the guys who we got will help us, but we still have a long way to go.”

Thus far, the Giants have signed running back Shane Vereen and linebacker Jonathan Casillas from the Patriots, wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris from the Cowboys, linebacker T.J. Thomas from the Jaguars, defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis from the Jets, and offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse from the Bengals. The team has also re-signed running back Chris Ogbonnaya, fullback Henry Hynoski, tight end Daniel Fells, guard John Jerry, linebacker Mark Herzlich, and cornerback Chykie Brown.

“We added some depth, which I thought we needed,” said Mara. “There weren’t any big, splashy signings but I thought we helped ourselves. We’ve still got some holes to fill, but so far, so good with what we’ve done.

“You can’t (spend a lot in free agency) every year and, quite frankly, when you do stuff like that more often than not it doesn’t work out. This game still comes down to drafting well, re-signing your own guys and then filling in in free agency. Every once in a while you might have a year where you have to spend big but, in my opinion and in our opinion, this was not the year to do that.”

Mara said the Giants did aggressively pursue the top safety on the market, Devin McCourty, who re-signed with the Patriots. He also said they had some interest in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh but he was too expensive.

“I’m not completely comfortable yet because we were 6-10, and you can’t be completely comfortable when you’re coming off 6-10,” Mara said. “I think I said after the season, if we can just get half of the guys back healthy and have a good draft, I think we’ll have a very competitive team. We need to draft like we’ve done the last two years, and get some guys that are really gonna help us, and then we need to keep some guys healthy too. We haven’t been able to do that for a couple of years.”

Mara said that a contract extension for quarterback Eli Manning, who has one year left on his current deal, is not in the works but “obviously something will be done at some point.” He noted Manning’s high cap number, which is almost $20 million.

Mara was also asked about the health status of wide receiver Victor Cruz, who tore the patella tendon in his right knee in October 2014.

“So far, so good, according to Victor and according to our medical people,” said Mara. “He’s working really hard and he has a lot of pride and we expect him back at 100 percent.”

Mara was asked if the team might consider drafting a wide receiver in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. “I certainly don’t think that’s our primary need,” Mara responded. But is also said he would not be against it if the value was there.

Mara was asked about safety Antrel Rolle, who signed with Chicago Bears. Mara said that Rolle was one of “personal favorites.” He also said, “I told him he will always be a Giant.” Mara said he also hopes that current unrestricted free agent defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who played with the Giants from 2003-12, will retire as a Giant some day.

Notes and Quotes: According to NJ.com, unrestricted free agent defensive end George Selvie will meet with the Giants on Friday instead of Thursday as previously reported due to a flight delay. Selvie is also receiving interest from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tight end Daniel Fells on returning to the Giants: “I’m excited. There’s no place I’d rather be. It’s a world-class organization with a great coaching staff. And I believe in the guys in that locker room. Coming back here was always in the forefront of my mind.”

Defensive End George Selvie Visits New York Giants: According to The Bergen Record, unrestricted free agent defensive end George Selvie (Dallas Cowboys) is visiting the New York Giants today.

The 28-year old Selvie was a collegiate teammate of defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul at the University of South Florida. He was drafted in the 7th round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. Since that time, he has played with the Rams (2010), Carolina Panthers (2011), Jacksonville Jaguars (2011-12), and Cowboys (2013-14). Selvie also worked out for the Giants at a mini-camp in 2013 but was not signed and then signed with the Cowboys. He started 29 regular-season games for Dallas in the last two years, accruing 75 tackles and 10 sacks.

Selvie has good size (6’4”, 270 pounds). He is a solid run defender who flashes at times in the pass rush, particularly in 2013 when he registered seven sacks.

New York Jets Sign Offensive Lineman James Brewer: The New York Jets have signed unrestricted free agent offensive lineman James Brewer (New York Giants) to a 1-year contract.

Brewer did not develop as a player after being drafted in the 4th round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Giants. A year after playing in all 16 games with eight starts in 2013, Brewer only played in two games in November before being placed on injured reserve in December with a concussion.

Brewer is the third Giant to depart the team in free agency this offseason. Safety Antrel Rolle signed with the Chicago Bears and cornerback Walter Thurmond signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

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